Pixie Rain: straddling Art and Porn in Second Life.
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It is fitting that on May 1st – Labour Day in many countries – that we consider
the ‘Occupy Art’ movement.

This movement’s art is especially interesting to me because
it frequently uses the techniques of corporate advertising and State
information propagation to promote subversive and dissident themes.

Broadly-speaking, the Occupy Art movement targets the wealthiest
“1%” ruling-class by empathising with the other “99%” – with both of these expressions
fast on their way to becoming iconic in their own right. Shared media and the internet are the main
vehicles of dissemination.

There is of course nothing new about subversive art. It has
been with us in many media for many millennia. Usually the subversion takes the
form of the artist using their talents to undermine the established icons and
symbols of the cultural, religious and political norms. For very pragmatic
reasons of personal safety, the act of subversion within the art work was often
hidden or ambiguous (“plausible deniability”) and only understood by a small
“in-crowd” or group of initiates. Subversion was never before intended for the
mass consumption.

And that, I think, is what makes the Occupy Art different.
It is quite clear that the movement is motivated to bring seditious ideas to
the masses but – and this is an important distinction with past subversive art
- as a collaborative act between the artist and the mass audience; both are
“in” on it. This is not a case of attempted manipulation, nor is it an attempt
to transmit a secret communication to a circle of acolytes.

No. This is the artist and the audience knowingly sharing symbolism
with the explicit intention of broadcasting a very unambiguous message to a very
specific group of individuals.

Occupy Art is bold, brash, unequivocal and unashamedly
partisan. It is essentially poster art; and I don’t mean that to sound derisory
in any way.

The Occupy Art movement are seemingly not as concerned with
commercial considerations as they are with getting their message out there.
Generally the work is not intended to be brought-and-sold but rather
“disseminated”.

To aid the spread of their ideas and images, the Occupy Art
movement frequently support ‘copyleftism’.
I have to say however, that Greg Hill and Kerry Thornley's idea of “All Rights Reversed” from their 1965 seminal
religious text The Principia Discordia is much, much funnier - although
admittedly less likely to find a sound legal footing! All Hail Discordia!

Much of Occupy Art looks similar to the propaganda posters
of many governments past and present. And well it might because it is very
obvious that as well as serving a social purpose, Occupy Art also has a
political purpose.

In fact, one of the things I like most about the Occupy Art
movement is their creative use of propaganda techniques previously only
employed by governments and corporations and turning it around back in on them
– not only the images themselves but also the heavy use of slogans and the relentless
distribution of the message.

Occupy Art is important, not necessarily for its imagery as
such, but for the message it conveys - and the whys and wherefores behind that
message. And, of course, it is important with respect to those whom the message
is addressed.

Occupy Art is a mechanism which anyone can use – by creating
it oneself, by including it on one’s blog or social media page or by a myriad
of other ways – to show personal dissatisfaction with the way things are, with
the way that the planet is currently being governed. It is an instrument to
protest the unfair distribution of wealth and assets, corporate ownership of human
essentials, homelessness, starvation, wage slavery and all the rest.

About Me

Digital Arts student in London, UK.
This blog concerns my work in the Second Life™ virtual world.
Click the "Film Links" tab above for links to my machinima or scroll down to read my what I fondly pass off as my thoughts, opinions and quirky humour.